robot finger has the touch

Scientists have developed a robotic finger that can sense touch. The device can detect the weight of an object it picks up and adjust its power use accordingly, the way humans use a light touch to pick up delicate objects. The robot's developers used a "smart polymer" that conducts electricity differently under varying pressure conditions.

In other touch news, the Nature site also reports the result of a study that indicates that soft touches, like carresses, stmulate a section of the brain connected with love and emotion, suggesting why people find them so pleasant.